By Scott Dyke Recently I had a visit from an Australian author and researcher. He makes an annual pilgrimage to Tombstone and other points west. The Old West has many international fans. Previously I have entertained Canadians, Germans and a Welshman. Aussie Peter Brand proved to be a gifted author who brought something to the […]

By SoAzNewsX August 16 1878- New Mexico Territory- lawman John Beckwith was involved with a number of shoot-outs, one, on this date, in the home of his hard case father, Henry, who killed his son-in-law, William Johnson, during a wild argument in the ranch house, a fight where John tried to intervene and was almost […]

By SoAzNewsX July 26 1861-Fort Fillmore, New Mexico Territory- Captain Baylor gains control of the territory after driving Union troops from the fort. 1862- Fort Bowie, New Mexico Territory (present day Arizona)– the fort is established where General Carleton secured a spring to guard the eastern approach to Apache Pass. 1863- Huntsville, Texas- Sam Houston […]

By SoAzNewsX July 12 1861-Rock Creek, Nebraska– Gunman David McCanles, enraged at Hickok’s seeing his mistress, went to the Rock Creek station, standing outside the cabin and calling for Hickok to come outside. Hickok refused and McCanles went to a side door. It is unclear whether or not he pulled his six-gun. “Come out and […]

By SoAzNewsX July 5 1858- Kansas Territory (present day Colorado)- William Green Russell and a party of whites and Cherokees from Georgia discover gold on the future site of Denver. 1858- Texas– a new wagon road from Fort Yuma to El Paso skirting the Gila Desert is completed. 1861- Cartage, Missouri- Union soldiers attack pro-secessionists […]

By SoAzNewsX June 28 1834- Rhode Island- Abel Head Pierce AKA Shanghai Pierce was born and later became one of Texas’s pioneer cattlemen. He was called Shanghai because he was 6-5 and wore spurs with rowels the size of windmills and someone remarked that he looked like a Shanghai rooster. He worked on the Grimes […]

By SoAzNewsX June 14 1846- Sonoma, California- a group of U.S. settlers declare Mexico’s California to be a republic. 1865- Idaho Territory- Crazy Horse leads an escape of mostly Sioux Indians, being relocated to Fort Kearney, Nebraska, from the U.S. Cavalry. 1872- Dakota Territory- Fort McKeen is established, south of present day Bismarck, North Dakota. […]

By SoAzNewsX June 7 1863- Mexico City is captured by French troops. 1866- Fort Madison Reservation, near present day Bremerton, Washington, Chief Seattle dies at age 78. 1867- Fort Hayes, Kansas- due to torrential rains causing Big Creek to overflow its banks, flooding the fort, the commander, Lieutenant Colonel George Custer, moved the residents, including […]